Stereotype-plate and device for locking the same



(No Model.)

J. R. CUMMINGS. STEREOTYPE PLATE AND DEVICE FOR LOOKING THE SAME.

No. 442,364. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OHN RAYMOND CUMMINGS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEREOTYPE-PLATE AND DEVICE FOR LOCKING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,364, dated December 9, 1890.

Application filed December 18, 1889- Serial No. 334,150. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN RAYMOND CUM- names, of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stereotype-Plates and Devices for Locking the Same upon the Bases Thereof, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for retaining the plate upon the base when the same is locked in the form preparatory to printing; therefrom. I accomplish this in such manner that I am enabled to cast the plates very thin and also obtain a perfectly plane restingsurfat-e for the same the entire width thereof, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through my improved base-plate and means for securing the same. Fig. 2 is an end view of a modification of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the column-rule used in connection with my invention.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a stereotype-base, the height of which is such that when the plate Bis mounted thereon the printing or impression surface of the latter is just type high. Its upper plate-supporting surface is perfectly plane, and can be finished ready for use by simply passing it through a stereotype shaving machine. The under or resting surface of plate B is likewise perfectly plane and capable of being finished by simply shaving it. The width of the plate, however, is slightly greater by at least so much that the sunken corrugations or serrations c 0, running, preferably,

longitudinally along the sides of the columnrules C, contiguous to their upper edge, will bite into the edges of the plate when locked in a form, and securely hold the same in place upon the base, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. In making the corrugations c of the column-rules C sunken I take particular care that the crests of the same do not project beyond the planes of the sides of the rule. I deem this one of the essential features of said corrugations, for the reason that when in the makeup of newspaper matter stereotype and set-up type matter are both used if the crest of the corrugations projected beyond the plane of the body of the columnrules they would lacerate and spoil the end type of each line of set-up matter.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that in order to avoid the possibility of the corrugations c injuring the end type of the set-up matter I reduce the width of the upper part of the column-rules just about one-half, and then corrugate the side surfaces of such reduced part. The plates are of course made slightly wider than as shown in Fig. 1, so as to adapt it to such exaggerated construction (considering the object) of the corrugations.

I am aware that stereotype-plates have been invented whose side edges overhang the vertical planes of the sides of the bases on which they are mounted, and that it is old to utilize the column-rule to retain the plate upon the base. The construction,l1owever, of the column-rules has heretofore required a construction which greatly increases the cost of their manufacture to an imprac ticable extent, and they hav e always been used in conjunction with plates whose side edges required some special construction.

My invention requires no special construction of the side edges of the plate. All that is done is to saw them a little wider, and as the columns of stereotype-plate have to be sawed apart anyway (it always being the practice to cast them full newspaper-sheet size) no extra labor is required.

\Vhat I claim as new is- A stereotype base and plate the width of which is slightly greater than that of the base, whose perfectly plain meeting surface is on one plane, in combination with a columnrule whose upper part is stepped to a less width, and which is provided with longitudinal corrugations in the sides of such stepped part, the crests of which do not project beyond the planes of the sides of said rule, as set forth.

JOHN RAYMOND CUMMINGS.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK D. Tnonnsox, FRANK II. GOIN. 

